1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dispenser, a method of using a dispenser, and a method of fabrication, and more particularly, to a dispenser system for a liquid crystal display panel, a dispensing method using a dispenser system, and a method of fabricating a liquid crystal display panel using a dispenser system and a dispensing method.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, operation of a liquid crystal display panel includes individually transmitting data signals according to image information to liquid crystal cells arranged in a matrix configuration, wherein light transmittance of the liquid crystal cells is controlled to display an image. The liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel where the liquid crystal cells are arranged in a matrix configuration and a driver integrated circuit (IC) for driving the liquid crystal cells. In addition, the liquid crystal display panel includes a color filter substrate and a thin film transistor array substrate attached to each other, wherein a liquid crystal layer is disposed between the color filter and thin film transistor array substrates.
The thin film substrate includes data lines and gate lines formed to intersect at right angles, thereby defining a liquid crystal cell at every intersection of the data and gate lines. The data lines transmit data signals supplied from the data driver integrated circuit to the liquid crystal cells, and the gate lines transmit scan signals supplied from the gate driver integrated circuit to the liquid crystal cells. In addition, data pads and gate pads are provided for each of the data and gate lines, respectively. The gate driver integrated circuit sequentially supplies the scan signals to the gate lines to sequentially select the gate lines on a one-by-one basis, and the data signals are supplied to a selected one data line by the data driver integrated circuit.
A common electrode and a plurality of pixel electrodes are formed along inner surfaces of the color filter and thin film transistor array substrates, respectively, and apply an electric field to the liquid crystal layer. Each of the pixel electrodes is formed at each liquid crystal cell on the thin film transistor array substrate, and the common electrode is integrally formed along the entire inner surface of the color filter substrate. Accordingly, by controlling voltages supplied to the pixel electrode and the common electrode, light transmittance of the liquid crystal cells can be individually controlled. In order to control the voltages supplied to the pixel electrode, a thin film transistor, which functions as a switching device, is formed at each of the liquid crystal cells.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a liquid crystal display panel according to the related art. In FIG. 1, a liquid crystal display panel 100 includes an image display part 113 where a plurality of liquid crystal cells are arranged in a matrix configuration, a gate pad part 114 connected to gate lines of the image display part 113, and a data pad part 115 connected to data lines of the image display part 113. The gate pad part 114 and the data pad part 115 are formed along an edge region of a thin film transistor array substrate 101, which does not overlap with a color filter substrate 102. The gate pad part 114 supplies scan signals from the gate driver integrated circuit to the gate lines of the image display part 113, and the data pad part 115 supplies image data from the data driver integrated circuit to the data lines of the image display part 113. In addition, a thin film transistor for switching the liquid crystal cells is provided at the intersection of the data and gate lines. A pixel electrode for driving the liquid crystal cells connected to the thin film transistor is provided on the thin film transistor array substrate 101, and a passivation film for protecting the pixel electrode and the thin film transistors is formed along an entire surface of the thin film transistor array substrate 101. Color filters are separately coated at the cell regions using a black matrix, and a common transparent electrode is provided on the color filter substrate 102. Moreover, a cell gap is formed using a spacer between the thin film transistor array substrate 101 and the color filter substrate 102 when the thin film transistor and color filter substrates 101 and 102 are attached using a seal pattern 116 formed along outer edges of the image display part 113, thereby forming a unit liquid crystal display panel.
During fabrication of the unit liquid crystal display panel, simultaneous formation of the unit liquid crystal display panels on a large-scale glass substrate is commonly adopted. Accordingly, a method requires processes for separating the unit liquid crystal display panels from the large-scale glass substrate by cutting and processing the glass substrate with the plurality of liquid crystal display panels formed thereon. Then, liquid crystal material is injected through a liquid crystal injection opening to form a liquid crystal layer within the cell gap that separates the thin film transistor array and color filter substrates 101 and 102. Next, the liquid crystal injection opening is sealed.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective and sectional views of a seal pattern according to the related art. In FIGS. 2A and 2B, a screen printing method includes patterning a screen mask 206 so that a seal pattern forming region is selectively exposed, selectively supplying a sealant 203 onto the substrate 200 using a rubber squeegee 208 through the screen mask 206 to form the seal patterns 216A˜216C, and drying the seal patterns 216A˜216C by evaporating a solvent contained in the seal patterns 216A˜216C and leveling it. The seal patterns 216A˜216C formed on the substrate 200 provide for a gap to which liquid crystal material is injected, and prevent leakage of the injected liquid crystal material. Accordingly, the seal patterns 216A˜216C are formed along outer edges of the image display parts 213A˜213C of the substrate 200 and liquid crystal injection openings 204A˜204C are formed at one side of the seal patterns 216A˜216C.
The screen printing method is commonly used because of its convenience, but is disadvantageous in that a significant amount of the sealant 203 is consumed since the sealant 203 is applied along an entire surface of the screen mask 206, and is printed using the rubber squeegee 208 to form the seal patterns 216A˜216C. In addition, the screen printing method destroys a rubbing of an orientation film (not shown) formed on the substrate 200 as the screen mask 206 and the substrate 200 contact each other, thereby degrading image quality of the liquid crystal display device. Thus, a seal dispensing method has been developed.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another seal pattern according to the related art. In FIG. 3, a table 310 is loaded with a substrate 300, which is moved along forward/backward and left/right directions. A plurality of seal patterns 316A˜316C are simultaneously formed along each outer edge of the image display parts 313A˜313C of the substrate 300 by applying a certain pressure to a plurality of syringes 301A˜301C filled with a sealant, which are aligned and fixed by a support 314. Since the sealant is selectively supplied only along the outer edges of the image display parts 313A˜313C of the substrate 300 to form the plurality of seal patterns 316A˜316C, sealant consumption can be reduced. In addition, since the syringes 301A˜301C do not contact the orientation film (not shown) of the image display parts 313A˜313C of the substrate 300, the rubbed orientation film will not be damaged and image quality of the liquid crystal display device can be improved. However, the dispensing of the sealant is problematic since is cannot adjust for situations where the substrate 300 has an enlarged area or where a size of the image display parts 313A˜313C formed on the substrate 300 changes according to changes of the liquid crystal display panel.
For example, as the liquid crystal display panel is enlarged, the area of the substrate 300 also is increased to fabricate a large-scale liquid crystal display panel. Accordingly, since positions of the seal patterns 316A˜316C to be formed on the substrate 300 change, the support 314 and the syringes 301A˜301C must be reconfigured to accommodate the larger sized liquid crystal display panel. Likewise, when the liquid crystal display panels change, the area of the image display parts 313A˜313C formed on the substrate 300 changes and the positions of the seal patterns 316A˜316C change at each of the outer edges of the image display parts 313A˜313C. Thus, the support 314 and the syringes 301A˜301C must be reconfigured, thereby causing delays in processing time and a degradation of productivity.